Talk about the dilemmas of modern
day parents! Not to worry, help is on the way for would-be mothers looking
for an alternative to Dr Spocks and Penelope Leach's guides on babies.

"Parenting has become a complex role
these days with so much happening in the environment around us. We can't
just rely on hearsay or what our mothers recommend. And what about those
young couples who live far away from their folks? Where do they get advice
and information?" asks Nirali Sanghi, who has put together a site for parenting
in India.

Nirali, who had a baby last year,
resigned from a high-paying corporate job to spend time with her child
and help other young couples through the site.

"There are many sites on parenting
on the Net. What sets our sites apart is that it is aimed at Indian mothers,"
says the techno savvy Nirali. "Most sites give tips on baby-care keeping
a Western audience in mind," she adds.

Aspects of parenting discussed in
the site include the diet to be followed during pregnancy, traditional
practices adopted in newborn care, home remedies and Indian customs such
as godh bharna, mundane and naamkaran. For the Indian parent, she offers
1800 pages of information on how to take care of both mother and child.
For the NRI parent stuck with a toddler in Wyoming, she has Indian stories,
nursery rhymes and recipes for baby food such as moong dal khichdi. The
site contains more than 2000 suggested names foe babies along with the
notes on what the names mean. "We are constantly updating the site to keep
surfers abreast of the latest information on parenting,' says Nirali. "After
all, what parents need is s forum to air to their concerns, a chance to
share their experience so that they know they are on the right track,"
she says.

Information, be it on the diet to
be followed by expectant mothers, a child's intellectual development, or
parent-child compatibility according to the zodiac signs, is just a click
away. Now, couples who have recently turned parents and live far away from
their family elders can surf through the stormy process of child-rearing!